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Has anyone ever tried being involved in Mormonism as a complete apostate and staying forthright? In other words, in the TRI, you tell the bishop, "Look, I don't believe any of this crap but believe I'm worthy for a TR. I look at my past life as a believer and feel exactly the same so let's just skip the formalities, OK?"

When asked to pray I will pray just how I feel is the right way to do so, let the chips fall...

When the EQ Pres bears his testimony of Joseph Smith and then asks why we think he was persecuted, I will certainly will share my opinion in my continued efforts to be forthright.

I will be forthright in my explanations for returning to the fold.

I will share my experiences with prayer and my testimony of Heavenly Mother. Church is not a place for quiet meditation. It is a place of classroom instruction, sincere participation, forthright discussion, and and listening. I would not be forthright if I sat quietly in church. People would get the wrong idea about me. It would be a lie.

Has anyone tried this? Can you share your experience?

Thank you!

Zee.

I'm pretty sure they'd try to ex you. They don't have much tolerance for that kind of thing from active members.

Thanks Buff. You might be right. For me, this would be an acceptable consequence.

From what I hear, excommunication is an ugly, humiliating procedure. If they try it on you, I'd resign before they have the chance.

Buffalo wrote:From what I hear, excommunication is an ugly, humiliating procedure. If they try it on you, I'd resign before they have the chance.

I'm willing to take the hit, Buff. I would suffer more for acting like I'm someone I'm not. I'm really bad at role playing. I feel that resigning is giving up - throwing in the towel. If I go back to church, it will be with the intent to be involved in the church in a way that works for me. I will be a Mormon my way.

zeezrom wrote:

Buffalo wrote:From what I hear, excommunication is an ugly, humiliating procedure. If they try it on you, I'd resign before they have the chance.

I'm willing to take the hit, Buff. I would suffer more for acting like I'm someone I'm not. I'm really bad at role playing.

Well, I'm not speaking from experience, but you should read some first-hand accounts of how these things go.

I understand your frustration. You have to do as you feel best.

I don't know if the category of NOM is wide enough to fit me, but as a TBM there have been things said in meetings, or classes that I disagree with. there have been things in the lesson manuals that I take issue with. Normally I just quietly let them all go without saying much. I just don't hold myself in high enough esteem to think people want to hear me pontificate about things too much. Also, I have no desire to start an argument in Church. For me church is largely about quiet meditation, and personal worship. its not really about the class material so much.

I'm always honest about my doubts in my TR interviews.

The oddest experience was with a member of the Stake Presidency who, in response to me explaining there were some things I wasn't so sure about anymore, gave me a 20 minute monologue about truth, history, faith, and satan that made absolutely no sense. He didn't ask a single follow up question, he just rambled on forever and then signed my recommend and sent me on my way.

In Church, I'll usually say whatever comes to mind if arguably appropriate for the discussion, or funny. In the last few months, we've had some pretty lengthy discussions about the Mountain Meadows Massacre, Blood Atonement and Heavenly Mother in our Elder's Quorum, and I have just sat in stunned silence for those. So I'm not sure I could say anything that would shock anyone.

You can't get a TR by telling your bishop you no longer believe in the truth claims of the church. Well, your milage may vary. I turned mine in.

You could be a non-card carrying NOM. That is what I am. I pretty much stay quiet in church these days. When I have something helpful to say on the topic of charity or love or similar I will pipe up.

StayLDS has some good tips and thoughts about how to remain active while at varying levels of disbelief. You can't go to church and dissent or be negative about each lesson. You have to come across as thoughtful and mostly positive. You can give differing points of view but they really would need to remain within the Christian/LDS mindset. Asking thought provoking questions will be better received than negative statements.

It's all in how you approach it.

Just Me,

What if I raised my hand in SS and said, "In addition to getting answers from HF, I have found through beautiful, personal experience that prayer to HM can be answered. In fact, I'm willing to bet HM is even more responsive than HF. Plus, she has a much better track record historically. Since praying more to her, I have been happier."

That is not negative in any way, Just Me. What do you think?